“Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.
Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.”Philippians 4:8-9 MSG
What do you fill your mind with? What do you dwell on? Could-ofs would-ofs, should-ofs? How others have hurt or disappointed you?
God, Himself, desires to work you into His most excellent harmonies. Not the sour notes. Not off-key living. But a part of God’s tight harmony! That’s living on-pitch. Not flat or sharp, but a trained ear to hear how to keep on His note.
This requires training your mind to think of things that are:
true – not corrupt or deceitful;
noble – not vulgar or low-life;
reputable – not dishonorable or bad;
authentic – not counterfeit or false;
compelling – not ineffective or
weak;
and gracious – not neglectful or unkind.
And how do you train your mind to think on such things? The Apostle Paul tells us to “put into practice what you learned, heard, saw and realized from me.” In other words, get into God’s Word so that you’ll be able to think like Him…act like Him. This way, the harmonies originate in Him and play out by “taking every thought captive unto the obedience of Christ.”
Just like studying musical notes, when you put your fingers to the keys and practice what you’ve studied…what comes forth is “the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; the praiseworthy, not things to curse.”
The same will come forth in your thinking. You have the mind of Christ. Now diligently study under the best Master ever, which requires filling your mind and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, gracious, excellent and praiseworthy.
Do that! And God, who makes everything work together, promises to work you into His most excellent harmonies!
When you think like Him, you’ll act like Him more and more. That’s beautiful harmony!
